When

Saturday 23rd October at 14:00
Double Bill is with Charlie Haden Quartet West

Where

Everyman Palace Theatre

Price: €35
+ Tickets
+ Charles McPherson Quartet's website

About

Charles McPherson is one of the jazz world’s pre-eminent alto saxophonists. He spent much of his early career under the spell of jazz great Charlie Parker, but expanded the Parker sound with his own intense energy and expressive skills.

Charles was born in Joplin, Missouri and moved to Detroit at age nine. After growing up in Detroit, he studied with the renowned pianist Barry Harris and started playing jazz professionally at age 19. He moved from Detroit to New York in 1959 and performed with Charles Mingus from 1960 to 1972. While performing with Mingus, he collaborated frequently with Harris, Lonnie Hillyer (trumpet), and George Coleman (tenor sax).

Charles McPherson was recently featured at New York’s famous Lincoln Center, showcasing his original compositions and arrangements with a seven piece ensemble. He has toured the US, Europe, Japan, Africa and South America with his own group, as well as with jazz greats Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, Nat Adderly, Jay McShann and others.

He has recorded extensively as guest artist with Charlie Mingus, Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. McPherson has also recorded as leader on the Prestige, Fantasy, Mainstream, Discovery, Xanadu, and most recently Arabesque labels.
Charles was also the featured alto saxophonist in the Clint Eastwood film "Bird," a biography about Charlie Parker.

McPherson remains a strong, viable force on the jazz scene today and is at the height of his powers. His playing combines passionate feeling with intricate patterns of improvisation.

Throughout his four decades of being an integral performer of the music, Charles has not merely remained true to his bop origins, but has expanded on them. Citing his habit of listening to everything from Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith to Stravinsky and Bach, McPherson says, “I learn from all of those cats, they all express real beauty.”

Don’t miss this jazz legend in Cork – performing with a superb backing group.